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We stayed at De Galleria for 2 nights as planned and spent a couple of hours before our last night there checking out the other hotels/hostels in the area.
Kota Kinabalu seems to be quite expensive (compared to other places in Malaysia) for accommodation. In our experience so far accommodation for a basic fan room in a hostel ranges from about RM25-40. Hostels here seem to be about RM20-30 more per night so we have decided to live it up for a few more nights, we are paying RM88 per night for an air con room with a 33 inch flat screen HDMI TV and we have an ensuite bathroom and a large room. Blowing the budget a bit, but we decided to pay RM15 more and stay in comfort than stay in a hostel.
Kota Kinabalu seems to be very tourist orientated, you cant really get to alot of places without taking a tour which are expensive when you are backpacking.
We had head that the Bird Sanctuary was good to visit, so we walked about half a mile to the local bus station getting caught in a storm on the way. By the time we arrived
we were absolutely drenched and not too happy, there is a shopping mall right next to the bus station so we decided to go in and get something to eat. We were the only ones who were soaked through, and the locals seemed to take great pleasure in laughing at us.
We managed to find the right bus to get on, not really a bus but a van with seats. We drove for about 15 minutes and knew that the Bird Sanctuary was about 5km out of the city and near the city mosque. But could we find it? No, of course we couldnt. We drove past the mosque and were both looking out of the window trying to see any signs, but there wernt any. So instead of getting off the bus in what seemed to be the middle of no where, we decided to stay on and see where we were headed.
About 10 minutes later we pulled up outside 2 large hotels and a shopping mall (another one!) so we decided to get out and take a look around so it wasnt a completely wasted trip.
The shopping mall was huge and right next
to Tune Hotel (Air Asia's hotel) and another large expensive looking place. We had a little look around, but it seemed to be the same old stuff - clothes, shoes, tourist tat, watches etc - we went up to the top floor and found an arcade......why not!? Neither of us have been in an arcade in ages so we bought some credit on a credit card type thing and went around the various games, bike racing, shoot 'em up style and punch bags. We then headed to Starbucks for the biggest jam doughnut I've ever seen and then went back out the front to ask the concierge how much a taxi would be back to the city. He told us it should be RM30, so we went out the front and a taxi driver asked us where we were going when we told him he said he would only charge us RM65, I think not.
We could of found another taxi driver, but we thought we would show them that we didnt need to get in a taxi just because we are Westerners, so we headed over the road and waited for the next bus to come.
We
came back to the city centre and found a local place to eat, noodles and rice again 😊
We have had quite a few 'rest' days since we have been here, just recharging our batteries and trying to spend as little money as possible as our accommodation has cost quite a bit.
I had read about Lok Kawi Wildlife Park which isnt that far from Kota Kinabalu so we decided to go there, just to see the Proboscis monkeys really. We left the hotel just before lunchtime and went to the local taxi rank and asked how much a taxi would be, RM120 we were told for a return journey or RM65 one way. We said no thank you and walked back to the bus station near the mall, we were asked by another taxi driver where we wanted to go and he quoted us RM50 one way an improvement but still alot of money so we carried on towards the bus station. We were shown which bus we needed to get on and paid RM1.80 each, the bus didnt go all the way to the park but stops in Lok Kawi and then its a short taxi/mini
van ride to the park.
We were driving for quite a while and everyone else who was in the van had got out and new people had got in. I asked the driver could he please tell us when we arrived at Lok Kawi and he just pointed behind him and didnt say much else. A lady behind us started talking to him in Malay and she told us later that we had been past Lok Kawi but the driver said he would take us all the way to the animal park for RM15 so we said ok and got taken straight to the front door which saved another journey!
The park is set in 280 acres of forested land and is home to different species of bird including the Hornbill. Plus lots of other different animals, Proboscis Monkey, Bornean Elephant, Sumatran Rhino, Sun Bear, Gibbon, Tiger and different smaller animals like the Mouse Deer.
The start of our journey round the park wasnt a great one, it was so hot and we had been told the cafe wasnt open so we had to go back out the front and walk down to a restaurant just down
the road.
When we got back we went to see the different animals, the conditions they were kept in wernt too good. There were lots of elephants kept in a small enclosure and they were all swaying back and forth (which we have now found out is due to frustration). There was one small elephant who seemed to be the only happy one (in the photos) who waded in to the small pool they had and was playing on his/her own and finding branches by going to the bottom of the murky water.
The sun bears also seemed to be kept in bad conditions. There were two of them in a small enclosure, they had no grass, trees or real plants of any type only fake tree stumps. One was asleep on one of the fake stumps and the other bear was running round and round in circles, which we took to be a sign of frustration also.
I was really looking forward to seeing the Proboscis monkeys, I'd never heard of them until we started planning our trip to Borneo so couldnt wait to see them in real life instead of just in books or on
the internet. There were about 10-15 Proboscis in a large enclosure which was fenced all the way round with clear glass in some places. Like the Sun Bears they didnt have any real trees or plants, which after seeing the Orang Utans in the wild, you appreciate how different their lives must be.
They were all asleep, which Id read they might be as it was about 1pm which is when the day is at its hottest so they all climb to the top of the trees to sleep. They are beautiful animals and so unusual, but at the same time so like us. The Proboscis that I took the photo of sitting up asleep woke up occasionally to yawn and scratch his big nose. The males have noses that point down and the females noses point upwards.
As we were walking back towards the entrance we saw the enclosure with the Otters and the Black Gibbons. This enclosure was alot nicer as it was all outside, with no cages/bars/glass surrounding it and lots and lots of trees and plants surrounding them. The Gibbons here seemed to be very happy, playing in the trees and weeing on the
Otters from the branches that went over the water. We stayed and watched them for a long time as they seemed to be happy and playful.
We found the cafe, which was actually open even though we'd been told it wasnt. I went to get an ice lolly and was glared at from over the counter then I asked for two cokes. I was told that they didnt have any coke, when it was right in front of me in a fridge. I pointed to them, and was told that the fridge was 'closed'. Ok, so Ive been told a river was closed in Thailand, and lots of other sites have been 'closed' just to get us to go somewhere else, but a fridge closed? That is ridiculous.
Anyway, after the cafe fiasco we went to the reptile house to be even more upset by all the animals kept there. I dont know how much space Alligators need to live, but I counted 9 in an enclosure that was about 3x3 metres with hardly any water and they were all laying on top of each other. There were so many mosquitoes there and we were getting bitten badly,
so we left. We had to walk out of the park and to the end of the junction and wait about half and hour for a bus back to a small town and then catch another bus back to Kota Kinabalu.
Our experience at the park wasnt great, Non-Malays get charged double to what Malays do, the staff wernt very friendly and the animals wernt kept in very good conditions. We wouldnt recommend it, if you have the time and the money its so much better to go to the Rehabilitation Centres where the animals actually get the chance to lead normal lives and not stuck in a cage or small enclosure.
We didnt do anything yesterday as we are both getting a bit fed up with being charged double for everything just because we are Western, I know it happens in most of South East Asia, but I cant ever imagine places at home charging tourists double for stuff, it just wouldnt happen.
Tonight we thought we would go to the night market, which was brilliant. Stalls selling lots of different food, fish and meat (like the one in Kuching) and on the side are lots
of tables and chairs with stalls surrounding it selling all different types of fish, squid, prawns, chicken, beef and corn on the cob. You pick out what you want and they BBQ it for you, add a bit of chilli sauce and then voilà, yummy food in an instant!
I had a small skewer of satay chicken and some corn on the cob all for RM2 (40p) which was a bargain. As we sat down there was a moody looking man who asked us if we wanted a drink. We took 2 cans, then paid as we left. We were ripped off, not by much, but still. Cans of drink in places like that are usually RM1.50 each, but he charged us RM2 each. You could tell we were being ripped off because the lady we were paying knew what we had had, but he shouted over to her "four ringgit - they pay four ringgit" but what can you do?
We walked along the sea front to where all the restaurants are and sat down outside an 'Aussie' bar and grill. We thought that it was full so must of been good, but when we looked we
realised that the places either side were packed and this place was empty, there were us and the staff and thats it. Not a good sign. We looked at the menu and noticed that for a glass of coke it was RM7, ok back to money again, a coke costs RM3 maximum usually, RM4 and youre pushing it. We ordered a bottle of water, RM4.50 for a small bottle - rip off. The food wasnt that bad, although they didnt actually know what was meant to be served with their meals as they bought out the wrong stuff and their menus had the same things in but different prices in different menus - confusing.
Next door but one was a busy place called the Cock and Bull Bar, we thought we would see what it was like as they had a live band and a pool table and it was packed. Found a nice comfy stool at the bar and ordered 2 cokes, we both burst out laughing when we were told that they were RM10.80 each. Ok, so if youre at home wondering what this is, its like paying the equivalent of £5 for a tall thin glass
of coke in a pub. You wouldnt would you? We said to the man behind the bar, was he kidding and he looked rather embarrassed (as did the last man next door) and just laughed. Why do people think they can charge 4-5 times more than other places? Its crazy.
We are having a good time in Kota Kinabalu, but I wouldnt come back. Everytime we go in a shop or walk down the street younger people look at us and laugh. I cant work out why, I havent got anything on my face, Phils flies arent undone.....why? It hasnt been like this anywhere else, and we were told that it was very touristy here so arent people used to seeing the likes of us traipsing around the place?
My advice to fellow travellers on a budget would be to check the price if you are on a budget, and try and see how much the locals are paying for stuff to make sure you arent getting over charged as this has been happening to us quite a bit.
Our Route So Far
Kuala Lumpur - Ipoh - Tanah Rata (Cameron Highlands) - Perhentian Kecil - Kota Bharu - Kuala Lumpur - Kuching (Malaysian Borneo) - Kota Kinabalu (Malaysian Borneo)
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Helen Barnard
non-member comment
BRILLIANT
Once again a brilliant blog, with lots of advice for others. Love the pictures, Keep safe kids.